Starbucks’ Toasted White Chocolate Mocha Includes A Super Unexpected Flavor

It seems like every season is an opportunity for Starbucks to capture the flavors of that time of year in a cup. And, who can complain? It's all for the sake of our epicurean bliss and, to be honest, our Instagram feed. With the most festive time of the year around the corner, our favorite coffee house is at it again. Their special holiday beverage selections are gifting menus on Nov. 9. So, how does the Starbucks Toasted White Chocolate Mocha taste? In short, it tastes like it flew in directly from the North Pole with a beaming red bow perched atop it. If you get a thrill for untangling holiday lights, your tastebuds are in for a treat.

This is the time of year to engage in everything that is good. Giving to others is the surest way you'll get into the holiday spirit and you'll be inspired to do just that with one sip of the Toasted White Chocolate Mocha. In it are all things that encapsulate joy, cheer, and spirit. Keeping it all to yourself just won't be satisfying this holiday spirit. Starbucks makes it easy to have your mocha and give one too with their Share Good, Give Good campaign. When you purchase your Toasted White Chocolate Mocha from Nov. 9 through Nov. 13 between 2 and 5 p.m. local time, you'll get a free one to share with someone who needs to get a taste of spirit.

Grab a Venti because you'll want to fill up on all that goes into this festive twist on the classic Mocha.

One sip and you'll hear bells — maybe also a chorus of carolers. You're not crazy, this beverage is actually filled to the brim with joy. It tastes like winter feels. You'll feel warm not only because this a hot beverage, but because you'll feel as if cozied under a pile fleece blankets. I mean, "toasted white chocolate" will do that to you.

In this venti of joy, you'll get caramelized white chocolate deepening the flavor of the espresso for a more complex level of cheer. It will also be topped with a puffy, plush heap of whipped cream, like the round stomach of a friendly snowman. And, it will be topped off with a dusting of candied cranberry sugar. When coming up with this holiday concoction - surprisingly not in Santa's workshop — Erin Marinan of Starbucks beverage development team says, "we started with the idea of gifts from the heart, and how traditional recipes often become gifts to share." Yes, this mocha is certainly a gift.

The deep caramel flavoring of sweet white chocolate combined with a splash of espresso makes for a festive sip to awaken your tastebuds alone. Add beads of tart candied cranberry sugar decorating all sides of the whipped cream like a Christmas Tree imagined by Willy Wonka, and the drink tastes like elves themselves made it. Erin Marinan describes the process of building the drink — which includes slow roasting the white chocolate — noting that it, "deepens the flavor, makes it more complex and brings out toasted nutty notes that linger as you sip the beverage." The ingredients and process combined leads to its signature taste that is sure to be your new favorite holiday classic.

You'll only have the holiday season to waltz into stores to get your mitten covered hands on this festive mocha. So, get to your local Starbucks today to give it a try. The Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, complete with a heavy dusting of candied cranberry sugar, is available from Nov. 9 through the holiday season while supplies last. Merry tasting, everyone!